One day Jesus was standing beside Lake Gennesaret when the crowd pressed in around him to hear God’s word. 2 Jesus saw two boats sitting by the lake. The fishermen had gone ashore and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus boarded one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon, then asked him to row out a little distance from the shore. Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he finished speaking to the crowds, he said to Simon, “Row out farther, into the deep water, and drop your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.”
6 So they dropped the nets and their catch was so huge that their nets were splitting. 7 They signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled both boats so full that they were about to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw the catch, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord, for I’m a sinner!” 9 Peter and those with him were overcome with amazement because of the number of fish they caught. 10 James and John, Zebedee’s sons, were Simon’s partners and they were amazed too.
Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people.” 11 As soon as they brought the boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Reflection
We’re going to stay in the Gospel of Luke chapter 5 today for the miracle that happens right before yesterday’s devotional topic: a miracle of Jesus over the environment where the fishermen who weren’t catching anything all the sudden find themselves overloaded with fish.
What’s interesting though, similarly to yesterday’s text, is that the miracle doesn’t actually have to do with the immediate, most obvious, need. Today’s text looks like a miracle of those who were trying to catch fish all the sudden having more fish than they could handle. It’s actually a call from Christ to discipleship. It’s actually an image for how once we include Christ into our day, our work, our mission, we can experience an abundance of blessings.
I know I’ve experienced this in my life; times when the net seemed empty, where I didn’t seem to have direction or purpose. It’s amazing what prayer, what reconnecting with God, what inviting God back into even the most mundane parts of our lives can do for the soul, can do for the spirit. Perhaps our nets don’t necessarily overflow immediately. Perhaps some days they seem fuller than others. But what we have is this relationship and call from God to believe that the nets can overflow even on days when the fish aren’t biting.
by Rachel Callender
For Pondering & Prayer
What does this image say to you today? How full does your net feel this very moment? Invite God in today.
Prayer: Dear Lord, fill our nets today so that we may not be afraid to share Your love in the world. Amen.